Tool-handle fastening.



PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

R. E. APPLETON.

TOOL HANDLE FASTENING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES" Patented September 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

TOOL-HANDLE FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 739,136, dated September15, 1903. Application filed January 31, 1903. Serial No. 141,352. (Nomodel.) 7

T aZZ whom, it may concern: Be it known thatI, RALPH EUGENE APPLE- TON,acitizen of the United States, residing at Orono, in the county ofPenobscot and State of Maine, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tool-Handle Fastenings; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make anduse the cheap to manufacture, strong, durable, and

efficient.

A further object of myinvention is to provide a tool-handle fasteningwhich is positive in its action and which is operated after the handleis inserted in the tool-eye.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of fastening means.

My invention also consists in certain com- 0 bination of parts, whichwill be first fully described and afterward specifically pointed out inthe appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a verticallongitudinal section of an ax and handle constructed in accordance withmy invention, said section being taken on line 1 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isa top plan of the ax and handle. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thefastening-piece, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of thefastening-screws.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout theseveral figures, in which 1 is the ax, and 2 the handle. Instead of 5constructing the ax 1 with the usual ax-eye,

I form one opening 3 therein, having a flat rear wall 4 and taperingtoward the front, as shown inFig. 2.

5 indicates my fastening-piece, which has flat sides 6 and aninwardly-curved front 7,

said front being so concaved that it presents an are when viewed inlongitudinal vertical section, as shown in Fig. 1. The back 8 of saidlocking-piece is provided with a groove 9, which tapers from the centerof said locking-piece, and at each end of said groove threads 10 areformed, which threads extend some distance along the groove 9.

It will be noticed from Fig. 1 that the fiat rear wall 4 of theair-opening 3 is rearwardly inclined from its center and that it isprovided with threads 11 above and below its center.

12 indicates the fastening-screws, having tapered ends and preferablysquare heads, so that they are manipulated bymeans of a Wrench or key. v

Having thus described my invention, its operation is as follows: Theax-handle is inserted in the ax and its fastening-piece inserted inposition. The fastening-screws are then threaded between the rear wallof the fastening-piece. Said screws areturned in in this manner, whichforces the fasteningpiece into engagement with the ax-handle, and byreason of the inclined backs of the axopening and the fastening piecethe said screws force the fastening-piece into tighter engagement thefarther they are threaded in. The concaved front of the fastening-piececauses the ax-handle to be tightly engaged at the top and bottom of theax, and as the said fastening-piece is preferably made of metal it canpress the ax-handle to conform to the concavity of the fastening-piece.

It can be readily seen that the power derived from the fastening-screwsis so great that it can bury the ends of the fasteningpiece into theax-handle, which arrangement will insure absolutely a perfect andpositive fastening for the ax.

In order to remove the ax, the screws are simply unthreaded and the axslipped off.

It is apparent with my fastening that Iemploy nothing which would tend.to split the handle or weaken the same, and I wish to be fullyunderstood as not limiting myself strictlyto the construction hereindescribed, as various slight changes may be made therein which wouldfall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I consider myselfclearly entitled to all such changes and modifications.

What I claim as my invention, and desire ICO to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is

1. In a tool-handle fastening, the combination with the tool and handleof a fasteningpiece inserted in rear of said handle, fastening-screwsadapted to be threaded in rear of said fastening-piece and substantiallyparalbackwardly-inclined from its center,- a fastening-piece having itsrear provided with a groove which tapers from the center thereof, andfastening-screws adapted to be threaded in rear of said fastening-pieceand substantially parallel thereto.

4. In a tool-handle fastening, the combination with the tool, andhandle, of a fasteningpiece adapted to be inserted behind said handleand substantially parallel thereto, said fastening-piece being concavedso that the center of the front thereof presents a vertical arc, andmeans for forcing said fastening means against the handle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RALPH EUGENE APPLETON.

Witnesses:

JAMES I. PARK, JONATHAN W. MYERS.

